The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalized changes to two rules that will allow healthcare providers to participate in care coordination activities and value-based arrangements without violating laws. The first rule creates exceptions to the Physician Self-Referral law (aka the Stark Law), which prohibits a physician from referring a patient to any entity with which they have a financial relationship. The second rule adds safe harbors to the Anti-Kickback Statute, which imposes criminal penalties when someone solicits, pays, or receives a reward in exchange for referrals.
